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Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved the Bombay High Court, challenging the Goa Children's Court order acquitting the two people charged with sexually abusing British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling and leaving her to die on Anjuna beach in 2008.
The petition was filed with the Goa bench of HC on 3 February by CBI claiming that Special Judge Vandana Tendulkar did not apply her mind while delivering the judgement due to which both the accused went scot-free.
Scarlett's bruised, semi-nude corpse was found on the famous Anjuna beach on 18 February 2008. Two locals - Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho - were accused of leaving the girl to die on the beach after drugging and sexually abusing her.
The case, which was initially investigated by Goa police, was later handed over to CBI by the state government after Scarlett's mother, Fiona Mackeown, raised doubts about the investigation.
After examining several witnesses, the Goa Children’s Court, on 23 September last year acquitted both the accused, eight years after the death of the 15-year-old girl.
Keeling’s mother, Fiona Mackeown, who was in India for the previous verdict that acquitted the two accused, had said:
The court ruled that the prosecution could not establish offence against both the accused.
The CBI which was unhappy with the judgement has said in its petition that:
Meanwhile, Vikram Varma, the lawyer representing Scarlett's mother, said that the autopsy confirmed that she was raped and murdered.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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